Tiny House Recording Studio

So I have been wrestling with a problem. This is totally a Tiny House problem. In a tiny house space is limited; very limited. No kidding, right? The problem I have been running into is a lack of office space at home. In my former suburban life I had a separate office. In my separate office I set up all my recording equipment, had a working desk area, and had access to all supplies at all times. I didn't have to set things up and take them back down in order to serve a meal or go to bed. I miss that. I miss it a lot.

I have toyed with and talked about building a separate tiny building to serve as my recording studio and home office. I have kicked it around now for two and a half years. Well, I finally made the decision, sucked it up, and ordered a small prefab shell of a building measuring 8' x 14'. It was one of the cheapest models that matched my other buildings here on Tiny House Homestead. It was delivered on Thursday. It is p-e-r-f-e-c-t!

A good friend and I spend a few days of labor raking leaves, cutting down fallen and dead trees, and cleared a great space in the forest for the studio. To keep things on a budget I have decided not to insulate the building except in the ceiling. Being only 112 sq. ft. it is easy to heat and easy to cool only when I am using it. It will not have running water, so I don't have to worry about freezing pipes. Besides that, most days in Oklahoma are above freezing anyway.

I had 6 windows installed so fresh air, the cool breeze, and beautiful views could be enjoyed from any direction. I am re-purposing two old doors I scored for $20 as my work table. I have whitewashed the walls and I will be building shelves between the studs. I hope to have the entire building completed by Thanksgiving day so I can get out a podcast soon telling all about it.

Perhaps now I can get more blog posts out and release podcasts in a more timely manner?

It has been two and a half years and I still love my Tiny House and homestead life!

Delivery of the Newest Tiny House Shell

It is here! Phase two has begun on Tiny House Homestead and it started with the delivery of the shell of my newest building. I thought for this post I would show you in detail how one of these buildings are delivered, set in place, and then leveled.

So let's get started. Brian arrived around 9:30 am and scouted out where I wanted this building to be placed. I had carefully considered where I wanted to place it before I even ordered the building. I got to work with my chainsaw since I had decided to set it back further into the forest. I decided on placing it back in the trees for protection from the winds in winter and the shade of the canopy of leaves in the summer. Once the leaves grow back in this spring the building will blend back into the forest. It will be fantastic! 

Dropping the Building Off the Trailer

The first thing you will notice is that these buildings are delivered on a long trailer, pulled not by a semi, but by a pickup truck with a big engine. The delivery driver for this building was Brian and you will see as we go along he is VERY good at what he does.

Brian set about getting the building loaded on to the Mule while I contemplated how much more space I will have when the other building is gone. Before brush hogging the forest it was in a great place, but now that I have all that additional space, it looks awkward. However, that is just one of the benefits of these buildings, you can move them if you don't like where you initially put them.

Old Building

I am returning the 12' x 32' building I originally purchased to serve as by bedroom and bathroom. After living with it for five months, I just wasn't happy with this particular building for this particular role. I considered eventually turning it into a hobby house, but ultimately decided to return it and go for a building I would feel more comfortable in as my bedroom. I will tackle a "bath shouse" later, but that will be a later post. For now, just know that I feel this was the best option for me and my homestead.

Brian loaded it up on his Mule and got it ready to move.

Moving the Building Via the Mule

Brian drove the building up and looked around. He walked a distance into the trees and, looking up, said, "Um, ya, not sure about getting it in their with those limbs."  I hand't even thought to look up! My myopic self had cleared branches and smaller trees out, but not considered the branches high up. The roof reaches 13' and Brian pointed out that the building might not be able to clear them safely without causing damage to the building. However, being the good sport his was, he set about giving it a whirl. He unloaded the building and scouted out the best path to take.

Since the other building is still here, Brian discovered he would have very little wiggle room, however that didn't stop him. Here is a clip showing how close he had to get to the other buildings before he entered into the forest. Again, Brian demonstrated he has some mad skills!

Entering into the forest slowly, Brian wiggled through the obstacle course of trees and asked me where I wanted it. After conferring on where the barn will be placed, Brian suggested the building go further into the forest so that the view would not be obstructed from any of the windows. I like the way this man thinks.

After deciding on its final resting place, Brian set out to level and block the building while I stepped inside to breathe in the fantastic smell of fresh wood and just take in the space. Yes, this was the perfect choice and I was quite pleased with myself and very comfortable with my decision.

Living in a Tiny House or Shouse Frequently Asked Questions About the Kitchen

My tiny house build. 

So many folks ask me to explain to them how I converted a shed building into a home. There are two specific areas that most are really interested in: The bathroom and the kitchen. Today I thought I would show you a bit of my kitchen and answer some frequently asked questions.




Q. What do you do for a kitchen?

A. I have a regular kitchen with regular things such as a sink, stove, and refrigerator. I have shelves with dishes and lots of food storage. I even have a table that can seat six for a holiday meal. If you have it, most likely I have it too.

My kitchen is cozy and functional.

Q. How do you cook? 

A. I cook in a couple of ways. First, I have a propane cooktop. It is great for frying, boiling, etc. Just like your cooktop, only I have just two burners instead of four. Secondly, if it requires baking or barbecuing, I use the barbecue. I can bake using a dutch oven either on the cooktop or the barbecue. I just preheat the barbecue and use it like an oven. I even cook bacon on the barbecue as well as any foods that have strong odors that may linger such as seafood. Additionally, I have common appliances like a toaster, coffee maker, and crockpot. I can cook just about anything you can cook in a standard kitchen.

Cook Smelly or Messy Foods as well as bake on the Barbecue. 

Q. Where does all your stuff go?

A. I collect the pattern of dishes I have, so I have a ton! Rather than go with standard kitchen cabinets, which upon investigation would only store 2/3 of what I store now, I chose to go with open shelving for both the dishes and the pantry. I have found the shelves look really great, were economical, and are versatile. I can rearrange them as needed without too much hassle.

Just a small portion of the pantry.

Q. How do you store food so bugs don't get to it? 

A. I keep all my perishable items either in the fridge, freezer, or sealed in Mason jars. I also have a vacuum sealer that I swear by. Bugs can't get in to the glass containers and by vacuum sealing food prior to freezing it or storing it, the food stays fresher much longer.

Mason jars and airtight plastic storage.

Q. How big is the refrigerator in your tiny house?

A. The refrigerator I chose is a 10 cubic foot model. The fact is I will freeze far more than I refrigerate, so I chose a smaller than average refrigerator. However, I do have a chest freezer I keep on the porch for putting by food.

10 cubic foot refrigerator.

Q. How do you store pet food in a tiny house?

A. I chose to store cat food in a container I found at a big box store. I added a galvanized trash can with a locking lid for the dog food. Both seal the food in to keep critters out and both fit the rustic theme I am going for with my decor.

Pet Food Container from World Market

There are lots more questions folks ask me every day, but these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head. What questions do you have a about living in a tiny house?

My Budget vs The Expense of Building Plans

Most of my readers know that I have a beer budget but champagne tastes. I like the best, but cannot afford to buy it off the showroom floor. As a result, I bargain hunt like no other and find great pleasure in being able to find what I like and desire at  a price my wallet will support.

I have been following the blogs of many Tiny House aficionados and enjoy seeing their successes. I love reading about the adventure of building one of these gems. Most have bought commercial plans to build their homes in some form or another. The plans I most coveted were over $1000, and frankly I feel that is entirely overpriced.  I understand this is a niche market, but the seller fails to understand that the majority of tiny home builders have tiny budgets as well and would like to put the money into the physical building. Since building plans are non-transferable, there is no way to "share" and spread the cost out. This is the sole reason I have not yet purchased a set of plans, but have been working on key components that don't require the building plans (i.e. water system, electrical, cabinets, etc.). But today I think my search for plans came to an end.

Rancho No Dinero Episode 1

Introduction to what Rancho No Dinero is and who I am. Learn my take on a Tiny Houses and my plan for my sustainable homestead in the Pacific Northwest. Learn about my general plans and what my future podcasts will cover.

Check out this episode!

Kitchen Spices, Tiny House Style

In my pantry I have many, many spices. I have spent a good deal of money acquiring all the different spices that allow me to be a diverse and creative cook and parting with them would be a sad affair indeed. However, living in a tiny house does not have to mean Goulash, soups, or stews every night for dinner. However storing large jars of spices just will not be practical. I do not want to sacrifice the spice variety or the precious storage space so I searched for the perfect compromise. After poking around on Pinterest and the web, I think I found a clever and practical solution. I will continue to cook great and tasty meals in the cozy comfort of my hand-built paradise.